The Hornets are delighted to launch this season’s Women at the Game campaign, which is now into its third year and aims to amplify the voices of women connected to the Club and our Community, Sports and Education Trust.
This season’s campaign also coincides with the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. Throughout this period, the Club and Trust have been actively supporting and delivering a range of initiatives to raise awareness and drive positive change.
To mark the start of Women at the Game week the club hosted an event with colleagues from Hertfordshire Police, including Community Engagement Officers PC Dani Howlett-Bolton, who has also worked with the club on our We Campaign and DC Emma Scott who has recently started working with the club. They were joined by our dedicated football officer Jim Marshall, who is a regular face at Vicarage Road and matches away from home.
The event brought together key voices and initiatives focused on tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) from across the town and county. Highlights of the evening included a powerful speech from one of our supporters sharing their lived experience after an away match, an overview of Operation Vigilant delivered by PS Karl Diggins, and an impactful video on women’s safety which was produced by AFC Bournemouth.
Dave Messenger, the club’s Equality Diversity & Inclusion Lead, also shared the work we’re doing with Hertfordshire Police to create safer spaces for women and girls. This includes the Ask for Angela scheme, which was introduced by the club on matchdays during last year’s campaign.
Ask for Angela is a national scheme that helps anyone who is feeling vulnerable to get the support they need. All of our matchday staff have been trained and briefed in how to respond if someone ‘Asks for Angela’ and our matchday safeguarding supervisors will escort them to a designated place of safety.
The club has also worked closely with the Women of Watford FC supporters’ group since the group’s foundation in 2021 and with Her Game Too since 2023. Members from WoW and Her Game Too attended the event and we will also continue to amplify the voices of both groups.
For more information about Women of Watford FC, visit the Facebook page HERE, while the Her Game Too website is HERE.
“Discrimination of any kind has no place in sport or society, and we are committed to working together with our partners at Watford FC to challenge harmful attitudes, promote respect and hold perpetrators to account” said PC Howlett-Bolton. “Football should be a game for everyone, and last night’s event is just one part of the ongoing work to tackle Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in Hertfordshire”
We’re also calling on our male supporters to play their role and become active bystanders. Sexist language is not just banter and can lead to women and girls feeling unsafe and intimidated. These behaviours do not match with our long-standing reputation as the original family club, and we stand with those supporters who’ve been subjected to unwanted attention and harassment
If you hear sexist language, or see sexist behaviour at our matches, including from people you know, call it out. If it persists, please use our We Campaign text line to report what you’ve heard so the club can take appropriate action.